Jérémy Schiavo, “artist” Graphic Designer

I knew Jeremy’s artwork for a while, so for my little trip to Bordeaux, I thought why not meet the man behind this monstrous precision work.

It was pretty crazy, it’s an US company style, in a crazy living environment!

Hi Jeremy, I’m really happy to meet you for my first interview in the flesh! I have a lot of questions that come but first who are you?

Jérémy: My name is Jeremy Schiavo, I am from Bordeaux, I am “Artist” freelance graphic designer.

I know you worked at Adidas. How does it feel to be at the headquarter in the city with an unpronounceable name (Herzogenaurach) in Germany? It must be pretty crazy!

Jérémy: Yes, it was pretty crazy, it’s an US company style, in a crazy living environment! It is the world center of the brand where almost everything goes. We are working on several projects for virtually every country… I worked with great people for a year, it was really a great experience!

And were you be able to take a look at Adidas SB service? Moreover, you worked mostly on what there?

Jérémy: Jeremy: No, everything related to skateboarding is in Portland, but I still could see the next collection in collaboration with the skate brand Palace!

At adidas, I was a graphic designer for Women, Kids and after Mens collections. I worked on a lot of projects, although extensive collections with artists like the outfits for the Pharrell Williams dancers, Rita Ora outfits, and of more classic collections like Trefoil (Adidas logo customization), t-shirts, caps (little wink to my friend Clem, who is Accessories Designer) and other creations that are coming out soon.

Placed end to end, we can say 7 hours a day.

Let go back to your art! People made very good returns on your boards Bordeaux, Death Force and Unassembled. They hallucinate when I show them that everything is done with a Bic! You’re not a bit masochistic? It must take a crazy time!

Jérémy: Haha yeah, a lot of people told me that, especially when they have the artworks behind the eyes! In addition, it’s one shot, you can’t make a mistake! Bic, you can’t come back on your pencil lines, in any case, for my part. The style that I want to give is this smooth aspect, there’s not a line that goes on lollipop.

After, I do that for a while so I already gained some precision on paper. So when I wanted to do the same on board, I just had to adapt myself to the support. The most painful was the stability of the board, after the rest was pretty easy. I started by tracing my template with a pencil and then I filled the whole.

Wow, regarding to the time by board, I would say a good big week to do that! After, I spread over on several months, sometimes it gorged myself and I shifted to another work. Placed end to end, we can say 7 hours a day, on a big week by board approximately.

And level accuracy, Bic shouldn’t be the ideal pencil against a fine tip marker or a brush-marker?

Jérémy: No, it’s not the same at all but the Bic works very well, you can have a very clear line without no problem. After depending of what I want to do or have as rendered, I take one or the other.

Speaking of that, precision work, it’s part of your trademark! How did you came to create your own style?

Jérémy: I can’t really tell if I have my own style, I’m working on it but it’s mostly people who tell me so. When you see my work, some effects are recognizable or recurrences in the way I do it. Currently, my florals are present in a lot of my projects, it’s a bit my trademark. They have evolved over time, from Bic color to black fine point.

Besides my work as an artist, I am a graphic designer in advertising. I do visual identities, global identities for shops, etc … So I try to have a consistency between the two.

What’s your last job which you are proud of?

Jérémy: I worked late August on an identity for a new apparel/skate brand for a guy from Florida and who built it in honor of one of his friends who died recently. It’s called Giovanne and I worked on all the identity and we should after making a collab on t-shirts and surely boards.

Today, what inspires you? Is there skateboard graphic inspires you?

Jérémy: There are a lot of artists that inspire me. But now, and for years, I really love Ilk work (graffiti artist). Although, I bought a silkscreen of him not long ago. I didn’t had the opportunity to meet him even if I think he was in the Black Bones Club jury in 2013, when I participate to the live organized by Be Street.

Do you skate?

Jérémy: I did skate when I was younger. After I discovered graffiti, I dove into it by forgetting a little skateboarding. But I still skate, I cruise with retro old boards that my uncles mades in the early skate. After skateboarding always speaks to me, it really remains a culture that inspires me!

Right now, you work freelance, how does it feel? It’s simple or rather galley?

Jérémy: It is not easy but on the other hands, I can work on projects that fit me. It beginning to work but you really need to persist and not let it go. I also like to take the time to do it right, so it’s cool.

It was pretty crazy to receive a huge bust in a big box which just go through the door

I saw your great job for Batman show! How did you found you in this project and how was it?

Jérémy: It’s pretty simple, I was contacted by an agency in Paris in charge of recruiting french artist for Warner. The person in charge had seen and enjoyed my work (PS: I thank him) following the Black Bones Club and asked me if I was hot to customize a fiberglass bust of a charity whose funds would be repaid to the CéKeDuBonheur association. I found the project cool and useful so it was done quickly.

It was pretty crazy to receive a huge bust in a big box which just go through the door of my apartment. Subsequently, some of the stress because I had a week and a half to do it before it goes back to Paris. I spent a few hours sitting on the couch looking at it and tell myself; “what I do and how I do this…” Once finished, I was really happy. So, good experience, very good feedback on it and I’m really happy that it sold at auction by Christie’s after the opening of Paris, at the Paris Comic Con exhibition.

Big projects to come or in mind?

Jérémy: I worked on a show with my friends the Hurlus, designers with whom I collaborated on recycled wooden lamps. A big covering work on 10 unique lamps, numbered and signed. The exhibition took place in late November in Edith shop in Bordeaux. After having dressed Batman, I dressed the BEC lamps, Made In Bordeaux for this time..

Currently I am on other projects, including one in collaboration with a brand from Bordeaux. More info coming soon on my Instagram or my Facebook page.

Jeremy, thank you very much for your time, we will finish by 5 quick questions!

Jérémy: Thank to you!

WHAT BOOSTS YOU: SEE WHAT HAPPENS, EVERYDAY

WHAT SLOWS YOU: THE FACT OF WORKING HOME

FAVORITE TRICK: IMPOSSIBLE

FAVORITE SKATER: JAMIE THOMAS & ERIC KOSTON BY THE TIME AND MOSTLY FRENCHIES FROM CONVERSE AND POLAR AT THE MOMENT

YOUR DREAM: CONTINUE TO WORK IN HAVING THE MOST FUN POSSIBLE

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Since 2011, I share inspiring skateboards created by artists, art directors & graphic designers from around the world. In 2018, after 2 years and a half of work, I released the book 'Skate Art', an anthology from the more than 3000 boards I put forward.